A Hollywood couple has been arrested and jailed on charges connected to the October 2025 death of their 7-week-old daughter, whom police say died of blunt force trauma after suffering injuries consistent with violent shaking. Gracie Jai Tellez, 20, and Robert Lee Ingram, 22, each face charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and neglect of a child causing great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement.
According to NBC 6 South Florida, officers responded to a home in the 2200 block of Farragut Street on October 14, 2025, after Tellez called 911 saying her daughter appeared pale and cold to the touch, per the arrest warrant. The infant received CPR at the scene, was transported to a hospital, and was placed on life support before ultimately dying, Hollywood police reported.
What the Arrest Warrant Describes
The arrest warrant described the girl's injuries as consistent with violent shaking, and she suffered harm caused by violent impact and repeated acceleration and deceleration of the head and neck, the outlet's report notes. Hollywood police said the 7-week-old ultimately died from blunt force injuries. That kind of trauma falls under what medical experts classify as Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma, a leading cause of traumatic death in infants under two years old, according to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, which notes the injury is especially dangerous in early infancy because of underdeveloped neck muscles and brain tissue.
Per the arrest warrant, Tellez and Ingram initially denied any involvement in or knowledge of how the infant received her fatal injuries. But investigators say the couple's accounts did not hold up. The pair gave varying accounts about the hours leading up to the child being found unresponsive and provided multiple false and inconsistent statements to law enforcement, the warrant states.
Conflicting Claims About a Baby Monitor
Among the false statements cited in the warrant, Tellez and Ingram claimed they had been using their phones as baby monitors — a claim police say was untrue. Investigators say the couple were instead playing video games and watching YouTube rather than monitoring the infant, according to the warrant. Authorities allege the two failed to provide proper care and supervision essential for the child's well-being.
Both Tellez and Ingram were booked into jail in Hollywood following their arrests. Attorney information for either defendant was not available, the outlet's report notes.
State Law Sets a Steep Bar for the Charges
Florida law reserves aggravated manslaughter charges specifically for caregivers accused of culpable negligence resulting in a child's death, under Florida Statute § 782.07(3). The charge is ranked at Level 10 severity under the state's sentencing guidelines and carries a mandatory minimum of 13 years in prison, with a maximum penalty of up to 30 years or life, according to attorney Richard Hornsby. The accompanying neglect charge, a second-degree felony under Florida Statute § 827.03, is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, per Hussein & Webber, PL. Notably, state law allows prosecutors to bring neglect charges based on a single act or omission causing serious injury, without needing to establish a history of prior abuse, according to Hanlon Law.
A Pattern of Infant Fatality Cases in Hollywood
This is not the first infant death prosecution handled by the Hollywood Police Department in recent months. In April, Hollywood police arrested Hollywood parents Crystal Garcia and Anfernee Watts on aggravated manslaughter charges following the August 2025 suffocation death of their 3-week-old son, a case Hoodline covered at the time. The medical examiner in that case ruled the infant's death a homicide.
The 2200 block of Farragut Street where officers responded in October has seen other law enforcement activity as well. In May, Hollywood police made an arrest in an unrelated homicide investigation on the 7300 block of Farragut Street after a 17-year-old was fatally shot, a case in which a 15-year-old suspect surrendered to police.
Broader Child Safety Oversight in Florida
Cases like this trigger a mandatory review process under Section 383.402 of the Florida Statutes, which requires local Child Abuse Death Review committees to evaluate every reported child fatality involving suspected abuse or neglect and to identify agency service gaps. Statewide data compiled by Florida's Child Abuse Death Review Committee shows that children under five account for the highest proportion of child fatalities reported to the Florida Department of Children and Families hotline. The Florida Department of Children and Families tracks fatality data across all 67 counties to monitor abuse and neglect trends affecting infants statewide. It remains unclear whether formal indictments will be returned by a grand jury, who will represent Tellez and Ingram in court, or whether DCF had any prior contact with the family before the October 2025 911 call.
